Missouri has a constitutional amendment defining marriage as only the union of one man and one woman. But same-sex couples did file state and federal tax returns together this year. Gov. Jay Nixon issued an executive order allowing joint filings after the IRS said couples in all states could file together.

That decision followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, which had prevented legal recognition of same-sex unions. Opponents tried to overturn Nixon’s order but were unable to do so.

An old Illinois law prohibits any marriage that would be invalid in a couple’s home state. The law originally addressed varying ages of consent among the states.

Out of the Closet

PROMO is set to debut its Show Me Marriage website at with a launch party from 6 to 8 p.m. at Meyers Grove nightclub on Manchester Avenue, in the Grove area.

The website will be updated for a period of 12 to 20 weeks. It will feature personal testimonies from same-sex couples about protections for their children including social security benefits, and other rights conferred by marriage. Bockelman said these stories help people understand the need for a legal bond.

“If you want to educate people about LGBT issues, the strongest thing you can do is come out of the closet,” Bockelman said.

Those who want to keep up with rapidly developing events around same-sex marriage can also get regular updates by texting the word “love” to 30644.